Professor Taija Juutinen invited as Visiting Professor under the prestigious Francqui Chair programme
The Francqui Chair, established in 1933, promotes collaboration and academic exchange between universities, particularly within Belgium. Its aim is to strengthen academic excellence, support interdisciplinary research, and enhance the visibility of participating institutions. Since 2008, one of the two annual chairs may be awarded to a foreign scholar to foster internationalisation.
During her visit to ULB, Professor Juutinen will deliver a lecture series offering diverse perspectives on research in sport and exercise sciences. In her lectures, Juutinen reflects on key historical milestones in the field and connects them to her cutting-edge research on the structure, function, and adaptation of the Achilles tendon. She also discusses the recording of muscle activity using wearable technology. Her research demonstrates that even small increases in daily muscle activity can lead to significant health benefits.
The final part of the lecture series focuses on the effects of exercise-based rehabilitation in children and young adults with cerebral palsy. The lecture is based on the EXECP study, which began at the University of Jyväskylä in 2017. The study’s evidence-based, safe and effective training programme is available at EXECP.fi.
